1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to service selection gateways (SSG) used in telecommunication networks, and more specifically to an SSG which allows access to services which are provided using a set of addresses, which can change dynamically.
2. Related Art
Service selection gateways (SSG) generally refer to network switches which allow a subscriber to selectively access various services on the Internet. In one common scenario, a service provider (e.g., an internet service provider or a shop providing the subscriber terminals to access the services) may specify the services a subscriber is permitted to access, and charge (receive compensation) the subscriber for accessing/using the services.
Typically, control of access to services is performed by allowing only packets with specific content. For example, an SSG implemented based on IP routing technology may be configured to forward only packets having headers with pre-specified source/destination addresses (set of addresses) and port numbers.
In general, it is desirable to provide various capabilities in an SSG in relation to providing access to different types of services such that a service provider can offer different services to different subscribers, and charge for the services.